Writing Alongside

An hour to write alongside others.

Bring any writing (or reading)

project or task. Yes, any.

Writing is not necessarily easy for creative people.

Writing can be joyful and sustaining. But it can also be tough.

As a person with a neurodivergent brain, I've learned that doing hard tasks in the presence of others (sometimes called body doubling) can make things feel easier. I've done this with friends and fellow writers on Zoom for a long time now (thank you, friends!), because it allows me to tackle the things that I have, for whatever reason, cultivated a sense of low-grade dread around.

Maybe I've put the task off for too long.

Maybe I've convinced myself it's going to be really hard.

Maybe I've decided that when I do tackle it, I need to do it perfectly.

Or maybe I have to write THE VERY LATE EMAIL I REALLY CARE ABOUT that's been haunting my dreams for months, literally.

When I think about the ideal creative productivity situation, I imagine a really long, sturdy table where we can all sit, quietly do the thing we need to do, and are supported by the presence of one another.

Writing Alongside is that, in virtual form. Sixty minutes together on Zoom, once a week.

Bring any writing, reading or creative project--truly, any at all.

I really mean that. Some examples of projects you can arrive with:

Your novel, essay, or poem in progress.
Your academic work (like a dissertation, master's thesis, or term paper).
A writing-oriented job you're doing for a client.
Some research (reading, Googling) you need to do related to your project.
A book or magazine that's on your TBR pile. (Yes, reading is welcome!)
An email that you've been putting off.

You can drop in once, occasionally, or come weekly. It's entirely up to you.

Writing Alongside is FREE. If you would like, you are welcome to make a small donation to support Alongside Retreat scholarships. Please keep your donation to single digits ($1-$9/session), and know it's 100% optional. This offering is meant to be as affordable as possible. To make a donation, please Venmo @writingalongside.

Alternatively, you can also join the forthcoming Patreon community (memberships starting at $3) to support Writing Alongside sessions and receive other perks. Stay tuned for the Patreon launch!

Writing Alongside will resume in Fall 2024/Winter 2025.

If you register for one session, you will receive access to the entire batch of sessions and don't need to register again. You can simply drop in desired. There is no minimum number of attendees required to hold a session; sessions can run with just two of us.

I look forward to writing alongside you this summer.

Alongside Editorial